Compiled by Scott Dobbin
Arctic hunter floats drift on Ice floe
A rescue team made its way to a stranded Inuk hunter on an ice floe on Sunday Jan. 24. David Idlout, 39, a hunter in Resolute, Nunavut, was returning home from checking ice conditions on Friday when the path he had blazed on his way out suddenly faded into the ocean. Luckily, Mr. Idlout, prepared for such an ordeal, surviving by using his skills and the gear dropped down to him by rescue helicopters. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, based in Trenton, Ontario, had to organize a helicopter to come all the way from Nova Scotia in order to rescue him from the floe which had moved 15 km from its original position. (The Globe and Mail)
Cable TV channel shut down in Venezuela
Radio Caracas Television, a Venezuelan television station critical of president Hugo Chavez, has been taken off the air as of Sunday. The shutdown comes a day after the station did not broadcast a speech by Mr. Chavez at a rally of political supporters. New government regulations require channels to broadcast some of Chavez’s speeches, but RCTV feels they should not be “inappropriately” pressured by the government to follow the new regulations. The new regulations came into effect at a time when Mr. Chavez is facing significant problems throughout the country, including a recession, soaring inflation, shortages of electricity and decreasing popularity. Neighbourhoods in Caracas voiced their concern over the shutdown by honking horns and banging pots and pans outside apartment windows. (The New York Times)
U of G and Guelph-Humber Applicants Increase
The Ontario University Application Centre (OUAC) released information last week showing that applications to the University of Guelph were up by 6.2 per cent – almost three times the average – while applicants to the University of Guelph-Humber were up four per cent. The number of students who chose Guelph and Guelph-Humber as their “first choice” increased by 8.6 and 9.9 per cent, respectively, much higher than the 2.7 per cent system average increase. A total of 23,369 were made to Guelph and 4,196 to Guelph-Humber. Provost and vice-president (academic) Maureen Mancuso said that U of G is on target to meet its enrolment targets. Hello, first years.
Haitian Orphans Arrive to Adoptive Canadian Parents
Twenty-four Haitian orphans arrived in Ottawa on Saturday, following the massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake that shocked the Caribbean nation. An Air Canada humanitarian flight that brought supplies down to Port-Au-Prince was organized to bring children to their new homes in Canada, moat of them orphaned by the earthquake. Of the entire group, 15 children were headed for families in Quebec while the rest went to British Columbia, New Brunswick and Alberta. In total, 154 Haitian children have been cleared for adoption by the Haitian government and the Canadian government is trying to evacuate adoptees as quickly as possible, finding available flights so that children can be transported safely from orphanage to plane in daylight. (The Globe and Mail)